


living in your prewar apartment, soon to be your postwar apartment

by Caracalliope



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Ambiguous Relationships, M/M, Power Imbalance, Starvation, Unexpected Kindness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26652166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caracalliope/pseuds/Caracalliope
Summary: The Warweary Villein expects to be put to work immediately, but for a few days, the human has nothing to say to him.
Relationships: Dave Strider & WV, Dave Strider/WV
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	living in your prewar apartment, soon to be your postwar apartment

The Warweary Villein expects to be put to work immediately, but for a few days, the human has nothing to say to him. There are cans of beans, peaches, and something green that has no label. The Warweary Villein isn’t used to eating food without knowing who grew it, but he’s been learning plenty of things since the invasion. He learned all about a new kind of hunger, a sharp kind that hurts more than his usual structurally-enforced semi-starvation. He learned he’ll do _anything_ to avoid it.

The human starts having his meals at around the same times as the Warweary Villein does. He doesn’t eat much. During a green meal, he says, “Sorry, bro, we’re all out of mayo. I can see it’s like a passion of yours? I don’t think a lot of mayo survived the radiation.”

The Warweary Villein looks down, shakes his head. Looks politely at the chalk he hasn’t touched yet. There is no permission or absence of permission, so he takes a red one and adds an R to his sash.

“Oh shit,” says the human, and laughs, “I didn’t realize you’re a representative of the people! I'm so happy to meet you, sir.”

After that, the human doesn’t _stop_ talking. His name is Dave and he always uses sir when he talks to the Warweary Villein. It’s a joke but not really a joke, like almost everything that Dave says. Sometimes, he gets choked up but doesn’t get quieter. He starts using his hands to add emphasis to the words, and it gets easier to start talking back.

Instead of a villein, he needs someone to follow.

The Mayor doesn’t bring up his dreams of a city until hundreds of meals have passed. Dave listens intently, going still but never silent. He didn’t know about the people still out there, injured and desperate for shelter. His bunker has hundreds of rooms, uncountable cans. They have a place for everyone.

Dave likes the city, but his hands shake when he talks about it.

“I’m going to keep three rooms empty, okay, sir? Or three beds, at least.”

He keeps asking permission for things, like sitting by the Mayor’s feet, or like adding little drawings to his murals. But when the first new citizen arrives, Dave doesn’t need to ask anything.

“Welcome to Can Town,” he says. His smile is wide. He pushes his dirty hair back from his eyes, then lifts the troll up from her crawl.


End file.
